Jori's Roadtrip
by helpwolvesandsmile
Summary: It's summer vacation and the gang is returning home from Cancun when Tori and Jade take the wrong plane home. The girls then find themselves in Michigan. Can they make it back? NO romance, just friendship. Please give the story a try
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: _

_Hiya everybody! I haven't updated because I couldn't come up with a story idea. And my cousins are over for the week, I see them every year but it feels like ages! So we've been doing things together. Yes, this is a Jori story. But it will NOT be the ROMANCE. Just the FRIENDSHIP. I don't like the romance but the friendship is great! There will be a little Bade in here as well. I hope you like it, please review!_

_Summary:_

_It's summer vacation. The gang is returning from a relaxing trip to Cancun when Tori and Jade take the wrong plane home and find themselves in Michigan. Can they make it back? _

Day 1- Cali or BUST 

(Jade POV)

Jade sat in the black leather waiting chair in the airport in Mexico. She read her magazine, looking at news on the Olympics, celebrity gossip, latest trends, and more.

"Cancun was fun," Tori began, trying to start conversation.

"Yeah," Andre agreed. "But I'm ready to get on the plane and head home."

"Shouldn't they have called us on the plane by now?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah," Beck said, checking his phone, "it's almost two-thirty."

"I'm thirsty," Trina said, randomly changing the topic. "Tori, go get me some coffee."

"Why me?" Tori asked.

"Because family does things for each other," her sister reasoned.

"I'll have coffee too," Robbie said.

"Same," Beck and Andre said.

"I want Apple Juice!" Cat chimed in.

"We're all thirsty," Trina said. "Now go get the drinks."

Tori sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I can't carry everything." She looked to her left at Jade, who was reading the magazine. "Jade, help me?"

Jade looked up and thought for a few seconds. "Fine. But I'm only doing this because I want coffee, too."

Jade got up and followed Tori down the large hall, past giftshops and fast food places until they were at Skybucks. They ordered the beverages and began to walk back. Suddenly, a lady's voice came on over the loudspeaker.

"Gate 14 to California is now boarding. Gate 14." She then repeated the phrase in Spanish.

"That's us!" Tori said. "Come on, we have to hurry."

Jade scoffed, "There's an old man in front of me that's walking one mile and hour! This is as fast as I can go!"

Jade walked behind the slow man, trying to be patient. There was no way around him. Finally, he turned and disappeared into the crowd. Jade and Tori sped up their pace.

"There it is!" Jade said, gesturing toward Gate 14.

Tori shook her head. "No… she said 18."

"You sure?" Jade asked.

"Um, yeah," Tori answered. "Here it is, let's go."

They approached the gate. "Where did our suitcases go?" Jade asked, looking around.

Tori shrugged. "Trina and everyone else probably brought them on the plane."

The girls showed their tickets and passports to the woman at the desk in front of the gate. The lady frowned at the tickets, gave a shrug, and returned the things. Jade stuffed them back into her purse and boarded the plane.

"I'm seat 19, row F," Tori said.

"I'm seat 15, row E," Jade said. "Cool. I guess I'm right in front of you."

They took their seats. Jade looked around the plane for the rest of her friends. She turned around to look at Tori.

"Where are they?" Jade asked.

Tori shrugged. "Maybe they did not get on yet."

Jade nodded and slumped back down into her seat. She opened her magazine again and looked through it. She sensed someone next to her and looked up. Standing next to Jade was a large woman with pale skin and small green eyes. Her hair bounced in short strawberry blonde curls. She wore a faded flowered blouse and short jeans that revealed her thick veiny legs. She had very large hexagonal glasses. She plopped down next to Jade, seeming to shake the whole plane as she did so.

"Hi, I'm Janice," the lady greeted, turning to Jade.

"Jade…" Jade said awkwardly, shyly reaching out to shake her hand.

"I'm glad you're here," Janice said. "Planes terrify me! I'm flying out to visit my brother and his wife. Oh, his wife annoys me so much! Her cooking- oh dear- let me say, it's horrible. My brother loves me, of course, but sometimes I feel that he is paying all his attention to his new wife. Darn you, Kathy!" She rambled on. "But, they did just have a baby boy. So I'm putting up with Kathy so I can see my baby nephew. His name is Brandy."

Jade tuned her out. She added an occasional 'yeah' or 'uh-huh' once in a while. She thought she heard a strange noise, but decided to ignore it. A few seconds later, a horrible scent washed over her. Jade fought back gagging at the rotten-egg smell. She turned around to look at Tori, who was cupping a hand over her mouth and trying not to laugh. Jade gave her a glare and sunk back in her seat.

The pilot's voice came on. "This is your pilot talking. The weather is clear and sunny with the temperature at eighty degrees. It will be a five hour flight to our destination where the weather is partly cloudy and a temperature of seventy-three. So sit back and enjoy our flight to Detroit."

"Detroit?" Jade asked, turning to Tori again.

Tori's eyes grew wide. "Wrong plane," she whispered.

Jade felt like smacking her. "Detroit! Duh we're on the wrong plane! Instead of LA, we're going to Michigan!"


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N:_

_Howdy! Haha, I'm so western sometimes. Thanks for the three reviews! But I was expecting more… Anyway, I'm glad to see you liked it. I really like this story, even though it's only chapter 2 right now. I just watched Tori and Jade's Playdate, so I'm in a good Jori mood! _

_I had a good laugh when I was creating Janice in the other chapter. It wasn't hard. I just thought back to my school's old choir teacher… hahaha. _

Welcome to Detroit

(Jade's POV) 

Jade sat in her seat on the plane. Janice was busy trying to calm herself as Jade listened to music on her phone. Tori sat behind Jade, reading. Janice's voice broke into Jade's thoughts.

"What?" Jade asked, irritated. She yanked out her earphones.

"We're falling! The plane's falling!" Janice fretted.

Jade felt the movement of the plane. A calm, slow descend. She looked out of the window. The ground was drawing closer, slowly. She rolled her blue eyes.

"We're landing," Jade explained.

"Are you sure?" Janice asked, looking around wildly.

"Of course I'm…"

"Hello, passengers," the pilot interrupted Jade. "We are beginning our descent into Detroit. Thank you for flying with us; we will be landing in one minute."

"See? There," Jade said. "No crash-landings."

Janice leaned back in her chair, letting out a relieved breath. Jade turned around to Tori again.

"What do we do when we get off this thing?" Tori asked.

Jade shrugged. "We tell the airport people that we got the wrong plane and we need one that's heading back to California. Duh. They'll book us a flight and, hopefully, we'll get a good discount on it."

"Okay," Tori said. Her eyes traveled to Janice and back to Jade. "I cannot believe you survived her."

"I tuned her out," Jade responded, lowering her voice. "It's easy when you've had practice. I barely hear anything my little brother says anymore."

Tori laughed. "Yeah. I should try that with Trina."

The plane gave a small jerking motion as it touched the ground. It slowed until it pulled into a gate and finally stopped. Everybody began to pack up and gather their things. Jade and Tori stood in the isle like other people were doing, waiting for their turn to get off. Janice started walking forward. Jade followed, Tori walking after her until they got off the plane. They made their way up the small hallway and into the airport.

"Well, we're in Michigan," Tori stated. "There's some ladies by the desk, come on."

They approached the desk that was next to the gate. Two ladies stood smiling friendly smiles.

"Hello," one of them greeted. She had warm brown eyes and long black hair.

"Hi…" Tori said. "Um, we got on the wrong plane. We came from Mexico and we're wondering when the next flight is to LA."

"LA?" the other lady asked. This one with medium blonde hair and light blue eyes.

"Yeah, like in California," Jade explained.

"Oh," the brown-eyed one said. "Well, a flight just landed there. Flight 116."

"That's the one we were supposed to be on," Tori said. "So when is the next flight?"

The woman frowned. "That's the last one for now. Apparently, there is a bad heat wave coming toward LA. So all flights are cancelled until it passes. Which is… about four to seven days from now."

"Oh, well, thanks anyway," Tori said, leaving the desk.

"Great," Jade said. "School starts again in four days! There are no flights. And we only have the money in our wallets, the clothes on our backs, and no other way to get there."

"Calm down. We can figure something out."

They walked in silence until they exited the airport.

"Now what?" Jade asked, frustrated. "We walk?"

Tori nodded. "Yeah. It's a start. LA is that way-" she pointed west and started walking.

"You're serious?" Jade caught up to her and walked next to her. "We're really just going to walk halfway across the country?"

"Not all the way. We'll find some other way. Right now… we're just gonna wing it. It's our best shot."

They walked in silence again. They passed parking ramps and road exits until they got off of airport property. The pair walked along the highway for a time. Jade looked up and noticed that the sky was growing pale and the color was fading darker. She looked at her phone. The time read 7:48. She groaned. Her feet began to ache and her eyes drooped with tiredness.

"Wait," Tori said, catching up to Jade. She had fallen behind. "I'm getting tired. Let's take a break."

"Good idea," Jade said, plopping down on the grass.

She watched the cars go by. Jade wondered what her friends were doing right now, and if they were worried about she and Tori. She wondered if they would ever make it back. A loud car horn interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see a semi-truck pulling to a stop in front of them. A man stepped out of the truck and stood before them. He was short, a little on the fat side, and had a frizzy gray beard. His skin was tanned, almost sun burnt, he had on a red shirt and faded jeans with holes in them.

"You girls lost?" he asked.

Tori and Jade looked at each other. "Kinda," Tori said. "We took the wrong plane at the airport. We're trying to get to California."

The man smiled, he was missing a tooth. "I can help you. I'm only going to St. Paul to drop off some supplies, but it's better than walking."

"Okay… thanks," Jade said.

"Well then, hop in my truck!" the man said.

He gestured for them to follow and led them to the front. They all got in the small front part. The man sat in the driver's seat, Jade sat on the end, Tori sat (a little squished) between them. The man started driving.

"Thank you for driving us," Tori said awkwardly.

"No problem," he replied. "I'm just taking some animals over to a shelter in St. Paul." He paused. "Might as well get to know each other for the next few hours. What're your names?"

"Uh, Jade."

"Tori."

"I'm Riley," the trucker said.

"How far until St. Paul?" Tori questioned.

Riley looked at the digital clock in his truck. "About ten and a half hours. We're going over Lake Michigan, so it'll be a little shorter. You said you two took the wrong plane. Where did you come from?"

"Mexico," Jade answered. "We flew from Mexico but we want to get home to California."

"California, right. Like I said before, I'm only going to Minnesota. But good luck with the rest of the trip. Oh yeah, and," Riley smiled his crooked smile, "welcome to Detroit!"

_A/N:_

_Yes, I am bringing Minnesota back for the tenth time. I love MN. Heehee. _


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: _

_Thanks for the reviews! They mean a ton. _

_Now, for something SERIOUS. Some of you may have heard that Victorious is ending. I know you are probably sad. Trust me, I am almost in tears. I can think of lists and lists (not even joking) of reasons why it should not be cancelled. Please, I beg, go check out the story Let's Save Victorious by StrawberryAngel (something like that), read the whole thing, and leave a quality review. And (if you can) check out Dan Schneider's blog and some of his tweets on Twitter. Tweet to him that you don't want Victorious to stop. I'm SO sad to see my favorite show be ended. Yet, we still do have 15 more episodes coming our way. So please do your part to take a stand for the show. Hopefully, we will be VICTORIOUS! _

_Now for another chapter. _

Day 2 St. Paul and Meeting the Wests

(Jade POV)

Jade felt someone nudging her arm. She opened her eyes and looked around. Tori was prodding her, giving her a weird look.

"What?" Jade snapped.

"You fell asleep," Tori said. "It's three in the morning. We're entering St. Paul." She pointed out of the window.

Jade looked out the truck window. She gazed at the tall buildings, alleyways, people walking, cars, and shops. She marveled at how familiar it all was. She remembered when she used to live in Minnesota. She'd been here before, many times. The truck took a few turns and eventually stopped in front of an animal shelter. The building looked run-down. The sign read: open 24 hours! Everyone got out of the truck.

"Well, like I said, this is as far as I'm going," Riley spoke.

"Thank you so much Riley," Tori said.

"No problem. Good luck!" Riley called as they began to walk away.

"Well, Ms. Minnesota," Tori joked, "where to now?"

Jade shrugged. "Not sure."

"Don't you have family around here? We could probably visit them. They'd be able to help us get home."

"It's three in the morning! What, we just knock on their door and tell them everything?"

"Uh, yeah. That's the idea."

"Fine. Maybe we can get a taxi or bus or something. My cousins have a house in Rosemount, which is about twenty-five minutes from here."

"Okay." Tori looked around. "Is it safe the be in the city at night like this?"

"Not really," Jade replied with a smirk.

The two girls walked along the sidewalk until they came to a bus stop. The bus came into view a few minutes later, screeching to a stop. Jade and Tori got on, paid the driver, told him where to go, and took their seats.

Tori looked around. "It's just us on here."

"Yeah. People don't usually take buses this late," Jade said with a yawn.

Tori nodded. "I guess. What are your cousins like?"

Jade thought for a second. "I don't really know. The last time I saw them was six years ago. They're…. nice."

"Just nice?"

"Yeah."

Tori stared at Jade with a look like 'seriously? That's it?'

"I don't like talking about my family," Jade hissed. "And I'm tired, I can't think of words to describe them right now."

* * *

The girls got off the bus. They were now in downtown Rosemount. Jade recognized the clover banners on the lampposts and all of the small buildings.

"Where do your cousins live?" Tori asked.

"This way," Jade said, walking.

They passed small shops and food places. They walked past Bella Pizza, a floral shop, Yarn Garage, and the Elementary school. They entered a neighborhood just behind the school. Jade led Tori through the maze of roads until they came to a tall dull blue house with white shutters.

"This is it?" Tori asked.

"Yep," Jade answered, taking a deep breath and ringing the doorbell.

At first, there was no answer. Jade rang it again and waited. The screen door swung open, revealing a woman with dirty-blonde hair, brown eyes, and a tired face.

She eyed the two girls. "What?" she growled, sounding irritated. "I'm not buying whatever you're selling."

"She does sound like you," Tori muttered, earning a small punch from Jade.

Jade rolled her eyes. "It's Jade," she explained.

The woman's face instantly brightened. She put on a huge smile and hugged Jade. "Jade! Oh I haven't seen you in forever! You look so grown up."

Jade felt her insides being crushed by her aunt's tight grip. She struggled to breathe and tried to pry herself free. Tori burst into laughter behind her.

"What are you doing here?" The lady asked, letting Jade go.

"Visiting…" Jade said, catching her breath. "It's a long story."

"Well, then. Come in." The woman invited them in.

Jade and Tori took seats in the living room as the woman went to the kitchen.

"Wow," Tori said, trying not to laugh again.

"Not funny," Jade said. "The lady was practically strangling me."

"Was that your aunt?"

"Yeah, my Aunt Grace. She's my dad's sister."

Grace came back into the room carrying two glasses of lemonade. She sat on the other chair in the living room.

"Well?" Jade's aunt asked.

"Uh, first of all, this is my friend Tori," Jade introduced. "We were on vacation with some of our friends in Mexico. We took the wrong plane home and ended up in Michigan. So now we have three more days to get home, before school starts. We thought we'd just stay here until noon and leave again."

Grace nodded, processing everything. "Okay. I'm glad to see you again. How is…"

"Mommy?" a voice interrupted.

Jade looked across the room the see her little cousin standing on the staircase. Her name was Alli. She was six with very light blonde hair, small green eyes, and cute freckles. She stood on the stairs, rubbing her eyes sleepily, and walked over to them.

"Go back to bed," Grace said.

"Who's here?" Alli asked, sitting on her mother's lap.

"Your cousin, Jade, and one of her friends," Grace answered, bouncing Alli on her knee."

"Aw," Tori cooed. "She's so cute."

Jade cracked a small smile. "Yeah."

Alli giggled and walked over to Jade, sitting on her lap. She picked through Jade's pockets and played with her hair. Alli grabbed Jade's purse and started going through it. She held up a key.

"What's this?" she asked.

"That's my car key," Jade said, reaching to take it from her.

Alli smiled and jerked her hands away. She giggled.

"I need that," Jade told her. "Can you give it back to me?"

"No," Alli answered.

Alli squealed as she threw the key across the room. She laughed and clapped.

"Hey!" Jade said, getting up and retrieving the key. "Alli, don't do that again."

"What's going on down here?" a man's voice said.

A tall man walked down the stairs with a boy behind him. The man had brown hair, a scruffy face, and humorous blue eyes. The boy looked just like him. Brown hair and blue eyes, and he looked to be about thirteen. The two came into the living room.

"Jade's here," Alli said.

"Hey," Jade waved to them. She turned to Tori. "This is my uncle, Greg, and my other cousin, Justin."

"Who's your friend?" Greg asked.

"I'm Tori," Tori said, shaking his hand. She turned to Jade. "So is this everyone?"

Jade nodded. "Yeah. This is the other side of the West family."

_A/N:_

_Bad chapter ending, I know. But the longness made up for it, right? I'm sorry about any mistakes or if the chapter was bad quality. I'm still really bummed about the show ending. But, hey, 15 more episodes airing very soon! Still excited about that. _

_Please remember to go to the story I mentioned above. If you do not want Victorious to end, please participate. It means a lot. Thanks to everyone. _


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N:_

_Hi people! I'm sure you've all hear the news that Victorious is cancelling. But we ARE saving the show! Hundreds of people on Twitter are helping! Whether it's trending #wewantanswersnickelodeon or trending #SaveVictorious or tweeting the following links (without spaces) we are making good progress! And if you don't have a Twitter, spread the word on facebook, Youtube, tumblr, or even call Nickelodeon. Here is the number and some links. Please help!_

_(212) 258 7500_

_ www.f anficti /r/ 8422573/ _

_ fictio /s/8418931/1/_

_ w w w.f an f ict /r/8 418931/_

_ w s/8422454/1/_

_ ww /r/8422454/ _

_http on s/8421 551/1/_

_Please, if you can, somehow send these links to everyone involved in the show! The cast members, Nickelodeon, Dan Schneider, anybody. Get the word out. _

_Okay, enough of me and back to the story! Hope you like it. _

On the Road Again

(Jade POV) 

Jade walked up the stairs, followed by Tori. They had spent the night at Jade's cousin's house. They had let them sleep in the guest room downstairs. The aroma of breakfast foods hit Jade's nose. She followed the scent into the kitchen. Grace was at the stove making pancakes and bacon. Greg sat in the living room with a book, and Alli and Justin sat at the kitchen table, awaiting their breakfast. Jade sat next to Alli and Tori at the table.

"What's for breakfast?" Jade asked, although she already knew.

"Mom's making cakepans and bacon," Alli replied. She still had that cute little-girl talk.

"Cakepans?" Tori asked. "Do people here call them that?"

"No," Justin jumped in, "Alli calls them that."

Grace came over to the table and served everyone's food. She sat down at the table with them as Greg got himself a bagel and headed back to the living room.

"When are you girls leaving?" she asked, pulling up a chair.

Tori swalled her bite of pancake. "Well, we were thinking a little before noon. Or earlier." She looked at the clock, 9:38.

Grace nodded. "How will you get back?"

Jade shrugged. "Don't know."

Greg joined in the conversation for a minute. "Grace, you know that old car the Gerlands are trying to sell? It's old and cheap, but I bet they could use it to get home."

"That's great!" Tori exclaimed. "Can we?"

Grace got up. "Of course. I'm sure it's alright with them. I'll go across the street and talk to them while you two gather you things and finish or food." She left the room.

Alli folded her arms across her chest and pouted her lips. "I don't want you to go."

"We have to," Jade said. "I'll see you guys another time. Soon."

"Promise?" Alli asked.

Jade nodded. "Promise."

"Pinkie Promise?" Alli reached out her little finger.

Jade smiled. "I Pinkie Promise," she vowed, hooking her pinkie finger with Alli's.

Tori got up. "I'm done. Jade?"

"Yep," Jade said, standing up. "Let's put our dishes in the sink."

The two girls put their plates in the sink. They gathered their few things. The front door opened, revealing a returning Grace.

"Leaving already?" Jade's aunt asked.

"Yeah," Jade answered.

"Okay. I paid the Gerlands for their car and they said you could take it. It's in the street and the keys are inside." Grace said.

"Okay. Thanks," Jade said.

Grace hugged Jade. "It was nice seeing you. I'll miss you."

"I'll… miss you too."

"Bye Jade!" Alli ran up to hug her waist.

"Bye," Jade said, opening the door.

"Good luck!" Grace called as they walked out the door.

"They're nice," Tori said as they walked down the driveway. "Alli's so cute."

"Yeah," Jade agreed. "My aunt said the car was in the street." Her eyes traveled around, searching for the vehicle.

"There." Tori pointed across the road and a few doors down a little way.

Jade looked at the car. It _was _old and cheap. It was small and low to the ground with tinted windows and rust on it. The color of the car was barely visible underneath all of the rust and dirt and mud. The tires were caked with dry mud and there was a large crack in the right mirror. The two girls approached the car. Jade found the keys and tossed them to Tori.

"I can't drive!" Tori protested, throwing the keys back to Jade.

Jade rolled her eyes and caught the keys. "You _still _don't have your license?"

"No."

"Then I'll obviously drive."

Jade got in the driver's seat, Tori got shotgun. Dust filtered into the air as they sat down.

"Gross," Tori mumbled.

Jade put the key into the ignition, trying to start the car. The old clunker coughed and shook until the engine began to work. Cautiously, Jade eased her foot onto the gas pedal. The car lurched forward then set off at a steady pace, rocking slightly. They drove down the street.

"They weren't wrong," Tori said. "This car is dirty and ancient."


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N:_

_Hello! I'm back from South Dakota! That's why I haven't been updating; my hotel didn't have internet. But I didn't abandon you guys, I didn't die or anything, I was on vaca. No reviews since chapter 3? What?! Come on, people! Let's get some reviews this time, eh? I'm still VERY sad about the show ending. Every time I hear the beginning of Make It In America, I want to cry and I get this heavy-hearted feeling. The beginning is so beautiful and that's my favorite Victorious song. Hey, we still have the 15 episodes airing this fall! _

_So who's ready for the next chapter? I am!_

Phone Calls, Carnivals, and Plane Tickets 

Jade's hands and feet ached from holding the steering wheel and pushing the gas pedal (and break, occasionally). She had been driving for almost eight hours straight. Tori was dozing off with her head leaning against the window. The old car wheezed as it squeaked down the road. It seemed like the thing would fall apart right under them. for the past couple of hours the scenery had been nothing but hills, the Badlands of South Dakota. Jade watched enviously as Tori slept. Finally, Jade reached over and shook Tori awake.

"What?" Tori said drowsily, looking around. "Where are we?"

"Badlands, we just crossed into South Dakota a little while ago," Jade answered. "I'm tired. It's your turn to drive."

Tori shook her head. "No! I can't. I don't have my…"

"You know how to drive, right?"

"Yeah. But I didn't pass my driver's test."

Jade stopped the car. "So? We're in the middle of nowhere! It's fine if you drive for a while. I haven't seen another car in the past two hours."

"Fine." Tori unbuckled form her seat and got out of the vehicle to switch spots.

Jade unbuckled as well and got out of the car. She walked over to the passenger side and got in. Tori sat in the driver's seat and began to drive. Jade looked out the window as the clouds and hills zoomed by. Suddenly, she felt something vibrate in her pocket. She looked at the screen to see Cat's face and clicked Accept Call.

"Hello? Cat?" Jade asked.

"Jadey!" Cat exclaimed on the other line. "We've been trying to call you and Tori!"

"Is that Cat?" Tori asked.

"Yeah," Jade said.

"Put her on speaker," Tori ordered.

Jade obliged. "Cat?" she asked. "Tori's here too."

"Hi!" Tori said.

Andre spoke on the other line. "Where are you two? You weren't at the airport the other day and we got really worried. We've been calling and calling but nobody picked up."

"We got on the wrong flight," Tori said. "At the airport in Mexico, we went to get you guys the coffee and we got on the wrong plane when we came back."

"So we ended up in Michigan," Jade chimed in. "And some trucker gave us a ride to St. Paul. We stayed at my cousins' place for the night. Now we're driving through South Dakota."

"School starts in less than three days!" Robbie said urgently.

"We know that!" Jade snapped. "We'll… figure something out."

"Are you girls okay?" Beck asked.

Jade felt a sense of joy and relief at the sound of his voice. She realized how much she'd missed him in the past day. She searched for words to say. "… Uh, yeah. W-we're alright," she answered, sounding like an idiot. She mentally cursed herself. "We're just… driving."

"When do you think you'll be back?" Cat asked.

"We don't know," Tori confessed. "Hopefully before school starts."

"Okay," Beck said. "Maybe w… an… something out… before… soon." The phone began to buzz and his sentence was cut off.

"Beck?" Jade asked. "Hello?" The line went dead. She looked at her phone. No bars and all signal was gone. "Bad signal," she muttered, putting her phone away.

"Someone looks upset," Tori said, slightly mocking her. "Does someone want to talk to Beck?" Her voice got pouty, like she was talking to a child. "Is the signal out? Is Jadey sad that the signal is gone?"

"Not funny, Vega," Jade snapped, punching her shoulder. "Don't talk to me like that." She looked out the window again. Tall shapes loomed in the distance. "Is that a town or something over there?" she asked, pointing.

Tori nodded, following Jade's gaze. "Looks like it."

She drove the car toward the buildings. They drew closer. Jade could see the small town much better as they drove into it. Small business buildings, trailer homes, and older run-down structures. It didn't look like much.

"Oh! A carnival thing!" Tori squeaked, heading toward it.

"Vega," Jade said. "Why are we going to the carnival thing?"

Tori shrugged. "It'll be fun. Besides, I think we deserve a break. Come on, let's go." She parked the car in the parking lot in front of a Ferris wheel.

The two girls got out of the car and headed toward the entrance. Jade looked around at the tiny rides, shops, and other attractions.

"Wow," she said. "I wouldn't think that a small place like this would have a carnival."

Tori shrugged. "Me either. Look! Admission is free."

They walked further into the carnival. The girls passed children with ice cream cones, food stalls, contest booths, and rides. Tori stopped in front of Jade. Jade, not paying attention, ran into her friend.

"What was that for?" Jade snapped, walking around her.

Tori's jaw dropped and she pointed across the path. Her finger gestured to a small crowd of people standing in front of a stage. A man stood on the stage next to a box. There was a sign next to it that read: **Plane Tickets! Put your name into the box and win a plane ride for up to three people. It's free and easy! Plane takes you to any destination within the U.S. of your choice! **

"We have to get tickets!" Tori said. "If we win, they can take us back to California! And we'll still have a day or two to spare."

"Duh! Tori, that's great!" Jade said.

"Last call, ladies and gentlemen," the man on the stage said. "Last call. Put your name on the ticket, fold up the ticket, and put it right into this box on my left and win! It's that easy, folks! The drawing will be in three minutes, so hurry!"

Tori rushed in front of the crowd. Jade followed her. They came up to a small purple table and grabbed two slips of paper. They each wrote down their name and slipped it into the ticket box. Others did the same.

"Alright, people. That's three minutes!" the guy announced after a while. He crossed the stage and dug around in the box, pulling out a slip of paper. Jade crossed her fingers. "Tori Vega!" he shouted. "You are the lucky winner!"

The crowd cheered and Tori high-fived Jade. The man came down and guided her around the stage and toward the back of it. Jade followed. They found themselves standing in front of a medium-sized cargo plane.

"The plane's here?" Tori asked over the sound of the plane.

"Yes ma'am," the man said. "You and a friend or two get to ride this thing to anywhere in the U.S.A."

"Let's go!" Jade said eagerly, running up to the plane.

The two girls boarded the plane. The man stood on the ground, waved good-bye, and walked away. Jade sat down on a seat in the plane; Tori sat next to her. The interior of the plane wasn't the fanciest, but Jade figured it would do until they reached LA. A young man appeared in front of them. He looked to be no more than a couple years older than Jade. He had dark, short hair and hazel eyes and a tall frame.

"I'm Jake, I'll be flying you to our destination," he said.

Tori's eyebrows furrowed. "Aren't you a little young?"

Jake nodded. "Yes. Yes I am. But I can assure you I know what I'm doing. So, where will I be taking you?"

"California," Jade answered. "Anywhere near LA."

"LA? You got it." Jake walked back into the cockpit.

After a couple minutes, the plane started to move. Jade looked outside at the ground racing by. Eventually, it got smaller and smaller until the buildings of the small town looked like bugs.

"We did it!" Tori said. "We won. Finally, we're going home." She slumped back into her seat, seeming content for the moment.

Jade nodded. "Yep. We'll be back in no time." She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax.

* * *

Jade awoke to the sound of the plane. She blinked her eyes several times before looking out the window. Snow-capped mountains stood below the plane. And, in the distance, was lighter and flatter ground. Jade guessed that they were approaching somewhere like Nevada or Arizona.

Tori began to stir. She looked around and straightened up in her seat. "Where are we now?"

Jade shrugged. "Almost California. I think Arizona or something." She paused, listening. "Do you hear that?"

Tori nodded. The sound was a strange popping noise mixed with a kind of creaking sound. Jade suddenly began to feel hot and a sour smell hit her nose. Smoke. She looked at Tori, who had obviously noticed it too. Jade immediately knew what was happening.

_A/N:_

_(Scary music). What happened? Review to tell me what you think! Please! And, who got the 'Yes, yes I am' reference? _

_I actually did have to drive through the Badlands to get to my hotel. Though we didn't run into a carnival. And two years ago, I went to Cali and saw the Rocky Mountains below our plane. Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Cali, yeah I've gotten around. So I have a pretty good idea on what their trip looks like. Though… I've never been to Las Vegas. Any info?_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N:_

_Yes, reviews! Thanks! Oh, and, stoopkid, about your review. I've never really given that much thought. People do seem to like that stuff, I for one sure do. Thanks for the info on that. I'm sure if I add some angst or a little more romance, it would make the story more interesting. I was planning on adding some Bade, I'll definitely add some extra! _

_Who's excited for the new episode of Victorious?! I know I am! Wanko's Warehouse, airing September 22nd! The gang spends an all-nighter at the warehouse and things get crazy. _

Waking Up in Vegas 

"Fire!" Jake shouted, approaching the passenger's area.

"Fire?" Tori repeated.

Jade could smell the smoke getting stronger. She looked out the window and saw that the rear end of the plane was aflame. Her heart picked up speed.

"What do we do?" she asked.

"Jump!" Tori said. "We could parachute out of the plane."

"There are no parachutes," Jake said.

"What kind of plane doesn't have parachutes?" Jade yelled.

"This one!" Jake answered. "We'll have to crash-land." He began to head back to the cockpit. "Hold on!" he shouted over his shoulder.

Jade grabbed onto her seat and buckled herself in. Tori did the same. The plane dove down sharply, gaining speed.

"This is just great!" Jade snapped sarcastically. "We're going to die in this plane."

"I know," Tori said. "I'm sorry. I got us into this! I made us take the wrong flight. If I'd listened to you in the first place, this would have never happened."

"No duh!" Jade said.

The two girls stopped talking. The sounds of the fiery plane grew louder, almost overwhelming. The smoke got thicker as the flames drew closer. Jade looked out the window. The ground rushed by and got much, much closer with each second. Suddenly, the plane jerked right and made a sickly scraping sound. The motion made Jade fall out her seat. As she landed on the floor, her head hit something hard.

Jade groaned as she woke up… again. She looked around. The plane was charred in places, the back half was mostly gone, and smoke hung in the air. The blue sky was above, showing through holes in the roof of the plane. The plane itself sat in the middle of a dusty, sandy field that had short grass and light dirt.

"Jade!" Tori said. "Are you okay?"

Jade nodded, painfully. "Think so. You?"

Tori nodded and looked around. "Where's Jake? I've been looking around the plane. He's nowhere."

"How would I know? I just woke up! Maybe… maybe he went to get help."

"Maybe." Tori paused for a long time before speaking again. "What do we do now?"

Jade got up. "Keep moving? We have to get home, remember? If we waste time finding Jake we'll never make it back in time. I'm sure he's okay."

"Right." Tori got up as well; the two began to walk. "At least the flight got us over the mountains. Driving through there would have been the worst part." She looked around again. "Where are we?"

Jade shrugged and kept walking. She squinted at something in the distance. It looked like a sign, far off. As they got closer she realized it was a sign. A billboard. She smirked as she read it, realizing where they were. The sign read:

**Las Vegas casinos, gambling, hotels, and more! Five miles north.**

* * *

Beck sat in the back of the truck, his truck, with Cat, Robbie, and Andre. They each held a can of soda. Beck thoughtfully took a sip, enjoying the bubbly taste. His thoughts were on Jade and Tori. Mostly Jade, though. He wondered where they were, what they were doing, and when they'd be home again. The gang had been calling them, but something seemed to be wrong with the signal on the other end. Beck thought back to the past few days. Cancun had been very fun, yes. Then they took the flight home. At the airport, they'd noticed that Tori and Jade weren't with them. The next hours were frantic and full of phone calls, texting, and worry. Beck had actually been very worried. Not only about Tori but for Jade. He'd been nervous, worrying, impatient, and… scared? _Beck Oliver doesn't get scared. You and Jade are over, why worry about her? _He'd told himself over and over. But the same answer kept prodding at the back of his mind. The answer he knew was true but wasn't ready to believe it yet. _Everyone gets scared. You're scared for her. Because you love her. You loved her. You still love her. You still love Jade._


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: _

_You guys, thanks so much for the awesome reviews. They are my main motivation. And if I misspell something in the story or it is confusing, I know because someone pointed it out in a review. Therefore, I can make the story even better, just for you! So keep reviewing!_

_I have a bit of writer's block at the moment… Oh, and, the story will be ending within the next two or three chapters. So please feel free to send me a story request! _

Vegas, Baby! 

Jade and Tori had walked the five miles to Las Vegas. Now, Jade found herself standing in front of a large building with a huge fountain. Loud noises from the street and inside the building blared, cigarette smoke billowed out the doors of the building along with the scent of alcohol.

Tori wrinkled her nose. "Gross. I can smell it already."

Jade nodded. "Yeah. Wanna go inside?"

"Sure. Not for long, my nose won't be able to take it," Tori replied, earning a chuckle of agreement from Jade.

The pair headed inside the building, walking through the main area down a random hallway and into a large room. The room was very dim with neon lights and different noises from games. Sort of like an arcade. A round table sat at the middle of the room with six men playing poker.

"Poker!" Tori said, pointing.

Jade rolled her eyes. "Yeah, so? It's… gambling. We're not old enough."

Tori raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You are the last person I would expect to hear that one from. Besides, we play it at my house sometimes."

"But that's not real gambling, it's not public, and it's just between us. It's different here," Jade argued.

"Okay, goody-two-shoes."

Jade gave Tori a punch on the shoulder for saying that.

"Where do we go now?" Tori said, rubbing her arm.

"Outside again. This place stinks, literally. And it's getting dark, we can watch the fireworks." Jade started down the hall again, followed by Tori until they exited the building.

"See? They're starting," Jade said.

Dazzling shoots of red, white, blue, green, and other colors filled the sky, making loud banging sounds. The girls watched the fireworks for a few minutes.

"We should go," Tori said eventually. "Home."

Jade turned to her. Tori was still looking up at the sky. The lights lit up their faces.

"How?" Jade asked after a few seconds. "We can't walk, it's too far."

Tori faced Jade. "It's a start, right?" She quoted Jade.

"Fine. Let's go."

They began to walk away. They walked the sidewalk for a while, passing the famous **Drive Carefully, Come Back Soon! **sign. Jade walked next to Tori, thinking about how they were to get home. It was night now, a few hours away from midnight. A few hours away from day four. The day school started. And, so far, there was no way home except to walk.

"Tori," Jade began.

"Yeah?" her friend asked.

"Do you think we'll make it back in time? School starts in one day, not even."

Tori stopped, looking at the ground. "I hope so," she muttered.

_A/N:_

_So I messed up and confused myself with chapter 5. That was supposed to be the morning of Day 3, meaning the girls had been driving through the night. I don't know how that happened. I know what you're thinking, 'Well, of course they'll make it home in time! Happy ending, right?' Well, you could be wrong. I'm seriously not leaning toward any side. Think about it. _


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: _

_Surprise! The last chapter has come early! Mwuhahaha! Don't worry, it should be long. And, if you people want me to, I will continue Flames and Angel Wings! But I am currently writing a story for another fandom and one for my own pure enjoyment, not to be posted on the site. So… yeah, lots of stories. But still feel free to send me any story requests! _

Day 4 Home Sweet Home

Jade walked beside Tori, kicking a pebble as she went. Though they had gotten a taxi ride out of the city, her feet ached from walking through the middle of nowhere for the past hour or two. The sky was still dark, but Jade thought it would get lighter in another hour. She hung her head, tired. Silently, the girls walked along the dirt road. The path blended in with the surrounding sand and dirt, making it hard to see. A rumbling sound started far off and faint, growing louder. Jade ignored it, figuring she was imagining things. Then the road in front of them got brighter, causing Tori and Jade to lift their heads. The girls ducked away from the road as a large car rambled past. Further down the road, the car stopped and drove backward to meet the girls.

"Weird, that car looks just like Andre's," Tori said.

Jade nodded. "Yeah… It is!"

The car stopped in front of Jade and Tori. Sure enough, four teenagers immediately jumped out of the vehicle. A redhead, a dark-skinned guy with slight dreds, a nerdish boy, and a young man with awesome black hair. Cat, Andre, Robbie, and Beck.

"You found us!" Tori shouted, hugging Andre and then Cat.

Everyone hugged each other, over and over, laughing and jumping around. Jade hugged Beck, realizing how much she'd missed him. Their hug seemed to last a little longer than all the others'. Jade pulled away from the hug; Beck grinned his wide charming smile.

"How did you… but…" Tori stuttered, shocked.

"Well, after we talked to you on the phone, we decided to come look for you," Andre explained.

"Yay!" Cat burst out, clapping and hugging the girls again. "We missed you so much."

"We missed everyone, too," Tori said.

"So, are we going home or what?" Jade asked.

"Yes!" Robbie said.

"Home! In the car!" Andre announced, getting into the vehicle.

Everyone squished into the car together. Tori and Andre up front, Cat and Jade in the back, and Beck and Robbie in the very back. The car began to move down the road. Jade sighed happily and leaned back, relieved to be with her friends again and actually heading home. Jade felt someone tugging on her hair; she turned around to see Beck playing with it. She playfully yanked away the strands of hair.

"What?" Beck asked.

Jade smiled. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"You know what I mean!"

Beck smiled. "I know." He leaned forward until his mouth was right by her ear. "I really missed you," he whispered. "I was also really worried when we couldn't find you at the airport."

Jade looked into his suddenly serious and concern-filled brown eyes. She just smiled and turned back to face the front of the car. Cat leaned over to her, giggling.

"Guess what happened when you were gone?" Cat whispered.

"What?" Jade asked.

Cat giggled again, glancing at Robbie then turning back to Jade. "Robbie asked me out."

"Shut up!" Jade shouted, drawing attention. She quieted her voice. "Oh my god! What did you say?"

Cat nodded, confirming she'd agreed. Jade looked at Robbie, turning serious and giving him The Stare. Robbie gulped.

"Robbie," Jade said in a calm, matter-of-fact tone, "Cat Valentine is my best friend. And you're now her boyfriend. This means, you will be kind and be the best boyfriend to her you can possibly be, or I'll personally shave off your afro, glue it to your nose, shave off Rex's, and burn that. Do you understand?"

Robbie, looking pale and scared, nodded vigorously. Cat chuckled and Beck patted Robbie's shoulder, used to Jade acting the way she did. Jade, satisfied, turned around again and allowed herself to relax.

Andre pulled into the Vega's driveway, getting out of the car along with everyone else. Jade and Tori ran up to the house. Tori burst through the door, throwing up her arms and twirling around.

"Yes! Home!" Tori exclaimed. She ran around hugging the couch pillows and rolling on the floor. "Oh, I missed you so much! I missed this pillow, and this one, and this one, and the floor, and my front door, and…"

"We get it, Tori," Andre said.

Tired and relieved, Jade flopped onto the couch, giving a thumbs-up. "It's good to be back," she breathed into a pillow.

"You had a long trip, didn't you?" Beck asked.

"Oh yeah," Tori said. "You have no idea." She began to pour out the story to everyone. She described the scene at the airport, meeting the trucker in Detroit, staying with Jade's cousins (which gave Beck a good laugh), and the Badlands, the plane crash… everything. "And now we're here, just in time for school to start in almost five hours," Tori finished.

After listening to the whole thing, Robbie looked around, puzzled. "What, school starts in five hours?"

"Yeah," Tori said. "Right? It starts on Monday, today."

"Uh, no," Robbie said. "School begins _next _Monday."

Jade lifted her face from the pillow. "Next… Monday?" She paused, thinking everything through. "So you mean that we could've stayed at a hotel in Michigan for a few days, caught the next flight to California, and be home with days to spare? And save ourselves this whole trip in the first place?"

"Yep," Cat said.

"What?" Jade yelled, suddenly furious. She turned toward Tori, who looked shocked and scared. "Vega!"

_A/N:_

_Haha, that chapter really gave me a good laugh. No reviews since the last chapter? Hmm… my stories haven't been getting many reviews lately. Come back to me! I need my people! Ha, but seriously. _


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